1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for displaying a mouse pointer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pointing devices are used to indicate locations on computer screens and of the available pointing devices, the most popular is the mouse. Since a mouse is small and light and provides excellent results, it is ideal for use with an operating system (OS) or xe2x80x9capplicationxe2x80x9d programs under a GUI (Graphical User Interface).
With the Internet is expanding rapidly, day by day, the amount of information available on it increases drastically. As a result, users of the Internet must be prepared to process an enormous quantity of data within a relatively short period of time. To improve the conditions under which such processing is performed, enhanced functions have been added to the mouse to improve its efficiency.
An example of an enhanced mouse is shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 5(a) is a top view of the mouse and FIG. 5(b) is a side view. A mouse 1 includes a main body 2, a left button 3 and a right button 4, which are formed on a portion of the main body 2, and a ball 5 that projects downward from the bottom of the main body 2. This arrangement corresponds to that of a conventional mouse. The enhanced mouse 1, however, also includes a wheel 6 positioned between the left button 3 and the right button 4. The wheel 6 is a disk generally small enough that it can be manipulated by using a finger. The wheel 6 cannot only be rotated forward and backward, but can also be depressed.
FIG. 6 illustrates a window 11 opened on a computer screen. A document 12, including sentences and figures, is displayed in the window 11 (in FIG. 6, the portions of the document 12 that are not actually displayed, i.e., the portions identified by N and S, are also shown). Since there are many lines in the document 12, only some of them are displayed in the window 11.
To read a portion of the document 12 that is not displayed in the window 11 at the present time, a scroll bar 13 is used. The scroll bar 13 has a scroll arrow 14 at its top end and a scroll arrow 15 at its bottom end. In order to scroll the display in the window 11 (to scroll up), while the mouse pointer (an arrow that moves across the screen according to the movement of the mouse and is also called a mouse cursor) is positioned on the scroll arrow 15, the left button 3 (or the right button 4) of the mouse is clicked (the mouse button is quickly depressed and released, one time). Normally, in response to a single click, the document 12 is scrolled up one line. That is, e.g., in FIG. 6, the document 12 is moved up one line from xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d toward xe2x80x9cIN.xe2x80x9d To scroll multiple lines at one time, a scroll box 16 in the scroll bar 13 is used. With the mouse pointer positioned on the scroll box 16, the left button (or the right button) of the mouse is depressed. While the mouse button is held down, the mouse is moved and the scroll box 16 is shifted (downward). Then, in accordance with the distance the scroll bar 16 has been moved, the document 12 moves upward from xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d toward xe2x80x9cN.xe2x80x9d As a result, multiple lines are scrolled up in the window 11.
Although only the scrolling-up operation has been explained, the scrolling-down operation is performed in the same manner. It should be noted that the scroll arrow 14 at the top end of the scroll bar 13 is used for scrolling down, and that when the scroll box 16 is used, the mouse 1 is used to move it upward. As is described above, to scroll the document 12, the mouse pointer has to be moved and positioned on one of the small scroll arrows 14 and 15, and this is a tiresome operation. So to obviate the need for such an operation, the enhanced mouse 1 in FIG. 5 was introduced.
The manner in which the enhanced mouse 1 in FIG. 5 is manipulated will now be described with reference to FIG. 6. First, a mouse pointer 17 is positioned in the window 11 as is shown in FIG. 6. While the mouse pointer 17 is held stationary, the wheel 6 of the mouse 1 is, e.g., rotated backward causing the document 12 to move upward from xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d toward xe2x80x9cN.xe2x80x9d Each rotation of the wheel 6 is divided into a predetermined number of steps and the number of lines to scroll the document 12 in each step can be typically set by using the control panel of the OS. Normally, a scrolling distance of three lines is employed.
Also allocated to the wheel 6 are functions other than scrolling, e.g., a data zoom function, which can be practically and conveniently used on the Internet for so-called net surfing, during which many pages on many Web sites are scanned. To effectively use a WWW (World Wide Web) browser for this purpose, a mouse must frequently be moved and used to click on a xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9cforwardxe2x80x9d button, and manipulating a mouse in this manner is a very tiresome task. But when the data zoom function is used, only the manipulation of the wheel 6 is needed to implement the xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cforwardxe2x80x9d functions. Since no movement of the mouse is required, a user can more fully enjoy net surfing.
As is described above, since the wheel 6 is provided for the mouse 1 in FIG. 5, compared with a conventional mouse, its operational capability is considerably improved. However, there are many shortcomings that have not yet been resolved. One of these limitations is the possibility that the wrong button will be depressed. The mouse 1 shown in FIG. 5 is generally called a three-button mouse because the wheel 6 can be effectively utilized not only by rotating it, but also by depressing it. There are conventional mice that have non-rotary head third buttons instead of wheel 6. Generally, the third button on a three-button mouse is located between the left button and the right button. The right button as well as the left button of a mouse are both frequently utilized in current OSs. As a result the third button may be mistaken for either the left or the right button and depressed erroneously.
To resolve this problem, a method is provided whereby the shape of a mouse pointer is varied when the third button is depressed. An example of a mouse for which this method has been used is the IntelliMouse (Trademark) by Microsoft Corp., a description of the operation of which follows. It should be noted that the IntelliMouse is provided with a wheel instead of a third button, analogous to the mouse in FIG. 5, but that in the following description the wheel is called the third button. First, an explanation will be given for an automatic scroll mode in which automatic scrolling of a document is performed. In this mode, automatic scrolling of the document is initiated by clicking the third button once and moving the mouse (rotating the ball). The scrolling speed is proportional to the distance the mouse is moved. Therefore, if the mouse is moved only a little to reduce the scrolling speed, the document will be scanned slowly. Because of this, the automatic scroll mode is also called a reading mode.
A shape of the mouse pointer provided for the IntelliMouse in the automatic scroll mode is changed as follows. When the third button (wheel) is depressed, an original shape of the mouse pointer is varied. Then, when the third button is released (i.e., when it is clicked) and the mouse has not been moved (the ball has not been rotated), the IntelliMouse enters the automatic scroll mode. Subsequently, when the mouse is moved (the ball is rotated), scrolling of the document is initiated. This scrolling continues even after movement of the mouse has ceased. That is, automatic scrolling of the document is performed. In the automatic scroll mode, the varied shape of the mouse pointer is maintained. However, when the third button is again clicked, the automatic scrolling of the document is halted. At the same time the shape of the mouse pointer returns to its original shape.
The automatic scroll mode must be supported by an application program to make it work. Therefore, in a window wherein an application program is executed that does not support this mode, the shape of the mouse pointer cannot be changed even when the third button is depressed. This point will be specifically explained while referring to FIG. 7. In FIG. 7, windows 22, 24 and 26 are opened on a desktop 21. Since window 22 includes a scroll bar 23, it is a scrollable window. For the same reason, window 24 is a scrollable window. However, since window 26 does not include a scroll bar 23, it is an unscrollable window.
Assuming that an application program that supports the automatic scroll mode is executed in window 22 and an application program that does not support this mode is being executed in window 24. When the mouse pointer is moved to window 22 and the third button is clicked, the automatic scroll mode is initiated. Then, while the current condition of window 22 is maintained, the mouse pointer is moved to window 24 and the third button is clicked. However, since an application that does not support the automatic scroll mode is being executed in window 24, the shape of the mouse pointer does not change because the automatic scroll mode cannot be started in response to clicking of the third button. Therefore, if a window wherein the automatic scroll mode can be executed and a window wherein the automatic scroll mode cannot be executed are open on the same screen, a user may become confused.
Next, the panning mode will be described. The panning mode is a mode wherein a document can be sequentially scrolled in an arbitrary direction at an arbitrary speed by moving the mouse (rotating the ball) while keeping the third button depressed. When the third button is released this mode is terminated. However, since a user can scroll a document at a preferred speed, the user can use this mode to quickly locate a desired area. The mouse pointer for the IntelliMouse in the panning mode is changed as follows. When the third button is depressed, an original shape of the mouse pointer is changed, and the changed shape of the mouse pointer is maintained even when the document is scrolled by moving the mouse. When the third button is released, the panning mode is terminated and the mouse pointer returns to its original shape.
The panning mode, as well as the automatic scroll mode, must be supported by an application program. Therefore, the panning mode has the same shortcoming as with the automatic scroll mode, discussed earlier. That is, when the mouse pointer is moved to window 22, wherein an application program that supports the panning mode is being executed, and the third button is clicked, the operating mode enters the panning mode and the shape of the mouse pointer is varied. But while the condition in window 22 remains the same as the mouse pointer is moved to window 24, wherein an application that does not support the panning mode is being executed, when the third button is clicked in window 24 the shape of the mouse pointer will not change. As with the automatic scroll mode, if a window wherein the panning mode can be executed and a window wherein the panning mode cannot be executed are open on the same screen, a user may become confused.
As is described above, the conventional three-button mouse has the following problem. Specifically, since application programs are responsible for providing support for the various modes that can be implemented using the third button, if a window wherein a mode can be executed that is provided by the third button and a window wherein such a mode cannot be executed are open on the same screen, a user may become confused.
Logitech Corp. has proposed a technique whereby, in order to implement various modes allocated to the third button, a mouse event output by the third button is processed by a mouse driver. This removes the responsibility for the support of the above described modes being assigned to an application program. According to this technique, so long as a window is a scrollable window having a scroll bar, the scroll mode can be started simply by clicking the third button, regardless of the support of the application program. However, this technique can be used only for the scroll mode. According to this technique, when the third button is clicked, the scroll mode is implemented and a document is scrolled. When the third button is clicked again, the scroll mode is terminated. The relationship between the scrolling function and a change of the shape of the mouse pointer is as follows.
Clicking is a manipulative operation during which the button of a mouse is sequentially quickly depressed and released. Even when clicking is executed quickly, a system can easily identify the depression and release operations performed. Within the technique proposed by Logitech Corp., a distinction is made between these two manipulative operations. These distinctions are:
(1) When the third button is depressed, the execution of the scroll function is initiated.
(2) When the third button is released, the shape of the mouse pointer is changed but the continued execution of the scroll function is not affected.
(3) When the third button is depressed again, the continued execution of the scroll function and the changed shape of the mouse pointer are not affected.
(4) When the third button is thereafter released, the execution of the scroll function is halted and the mouse pointer is returned to its original shape.
As is apparent from the above description, a one-to-one correspondence does not exist between the condition whereunder execution of the scroll function is initiated and the condition where under the shape of the mouse pointer is changed. Since, as in (2) above, the shape of the mouse pointer is not affected until the third button is released. However, before the third button is released, a user cannot visually ascertain whether he or she has depressed the third button. Even though the user may be aware that he or she had depressed a certain button, the user receives no feedback to the effect that third button has been depressed since the shape of the mouse pointer has not changed. Therefore, even with the technique developed by Logitech Corp., when instead of depressing the right or the left button, the user mistakenly depresses the third button, he or she is not immediately made aware of it.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a method for displaying a mouse pointer for a three-button mouse that enables a user to easily ascertain when an incorrect button has been depressed, regardless of where the mouse pointer is located on a screen.
The present invention is provided to resolve the above described limitations. It should be noted, however, that applicability of the present invention is not limited to the mouse shown in FIG. 5, which is an external, computer device, but can also be applied for a built-in mouse located in the vicinity of the keyboard of a portable computer.
The present invention relates to a method and system for displaying a mouse pointer for a three-button mouse having a left button, a right button and a third button. The external force applied to the third button is detected and based on the result of the detection, a mouse function database is searched to determine a pertinent function. The mouse function database stores a plurality of data sets in compliance with a condition of the external force, wherein each data set represents a prescribed relationship between the external force and a function allocated to the third button. Based on the determination obtained for the pertinent function, a mouse pointer shape database is searched to determine the shape of the mouse pointer corresponding to the pertinent function. Then, based on the determination made for the shape of the mouse pointer in response to the external force, the current shape of the mouse pointer is changed.
As is described above and according to the present invention, in response to the external force applied to the third button of the mouse, the shape of the mouse pointer is changed. Consequently, since the fact that the external force has been applied to the third button of the mouse is transmitted visually as feedback to a user, the user can immediately ascertain that an incorrect button has been depressed. Furthermore, since the shape of the mouse pointer is changed regardless of where it is located on the screen, in contrast to the prior art, a location wherein the shape of a mouse pointer can be changed is not limited to a specific window. That is, when the mouse pointer of the three-button mouse is displayed in at least two windows and when the function of the third button cannot be executed in one of the windows, the shape of the mouse pointer in that window will be changed in response to the external force applied to the third button.